Special Cargo Part One

I forgot about this oldie but goodie, and decided it was time for an update. Look for the rest soon! Enjoy!

Special Cargo - MPREG Edition

By

Brimmingbelly04

(Based on Special Cargo by JB aka Rivan51, posted on Deviantart by Gravidlad; based on Cargo by BobKing)

PART ONE

Eric had been with the United Planets going on nine years. He'd joined right out of college and had been assigned to the office of the Earth Ambassador to Mars as a general page. Eager to prove himself, Eric quickly proved his worth and began moving up the ranks. In five years, he'd become Top Aide to the Ambassador himself, a much respected position that one day, might possibly put him in contention to be an ambassador himself.

The office had been quite busy for the last two years following Mars being hit by a terrible plague. It took one Earth year to get the plague somewhat under control, during which time, over three-quarters of Mars' population died. In short order, the once prosperous planet's population plummeted from a high of 250 million, to just under 30 million. To say the plague had devastated the Red planet was an understatement.

As Mars' closest inhabited neighbor, Earth did everything it could to help, with most of its aid efforts going through or being coordinated by the Ambassador's office. Earth scientists had been the ones to develop an inoculation against the  plague but having been so devastated, even after it had been administered to its decimated population, Mars continued to rely heavily on its Space neighbor.

As such, Eric's days (and oftentimes nights) were almost always busy. There were countless meetings to attend, either with the Ambassador or in his stead. If anyone ever wanted or needed to know about the latest going ons between the two planets, all they had to do was talk to Eric and he could bring them up to speed on just about any subject matter.

There was however one series of meetings which he was never asked or allowed to attend. From their (his) office, the Ambassador was always the only one to attend the meetings notated in the logs or calender under the general nomenclature of Recovery. Eric questioned the Ambassador about these meetings, which he attended at least twice a month, several times, but all the other man would say was that they were of the utmost importance and sensitive nature and therefore, couldn't be discussed, apparently not even with his Top Aide.

Eric didn't like being kept in the dark, especially not when so many people turned directly to him for information on a regular basis. As such, he continued to gently press for more information but failed to get any. At least not directly from the Ambassador…

Eric's luck changed ever so slightly when one day, after returning from the most recent Recovery meeting, the Ambassador left his communications device unlocked and unattended while he used the facilities. As soon as he heard the bathroom door close, his Top Aide grabbed the device and began hurriedly searching through it. He checked the calendar first and clicked on the meeting, finding a list of attendees that day, but this proved of little value as it was pretty much the same as the one Eric had made mentally.

He'd just found an interstellar message with the day's dates (both Earth and Mars',) titled what else but Recovery, when he heard the bathroom door open and the Ambassador making his way back. The only thing he got from the message was what he now already knew: who'd been at the meeting. It was sent by the Surgeon General of the United Planets to the Ambassador and his Martian counterpart. Whatever Recovery was, the Ambassador hadn't been lying when he said it was of a sensitive nature… If only three, high-ranking officials were involved (at least in this latest meeting and subsequent message,) it had to be a big deal.

But since Eric was kept so busy with (presumably) everything else Earth/Mars related, he didn't have much free time to think about or dwell on Recovery. Sure, he was curious and wanted to know more, but he hardly ever had time as it was to see friends or family, or anyone romantically… More often than not, Eric found himself working fourteen hour days, and couldn't remember the last time he'd more than one or two off in a row. Aside from the oh so occasional hookup, the only thing that kept him going and from losing his mind was working out…

Whenever he finally ended up getting off (typically sometime between 10pm and midnight,) Eric almost always put some time in at the gym. Though he worked out primarily to stay fit and full of energy, he also did so to unwind so that when he finally got home, he'd be able to sleep, even if only for a few hours before he was up and at it again. That working out kept him enviably good looking and desirable was simply a bonus he rarely if ever got to use to his advantage.

******

"I've been wondering, Eric…" the Ambassador started one afternoon as the two ate lunch alone in his office. Usually, there were other staff present, bustling about, working on this or that, or trying to get something signed, but not today.

"Sir?" His Top Aide replied per usual, always addressing him as such or "Ambassador," even though the other man was less than a decade older than him.

"When did you last take some time off?"

Eric had to think. Hard. "If I recall correctly, I was off last Wednesday, though it could've been Thursday… I can double check the logs if you'd like?" He offered as he quickly set down his fork and reached for his always nearby communications device.

"I was referring to an extended period of time," the Ambassador clarified. "Like a vacation…"

"Oh, um… I'm definitely going to have to check the logs then…"

He chuckled and shook his head. "As I guessed, but no need."

"Are you sure, Sir?" Eric asked, device already in hand. "It's no trouble."

The older, undeniably more important man ignored his Top Aide's reply and continued with his own line of questioning. "And you've never been to Mars before, is that correct?"

"Crazy as it sounds if you think about it, it is," Eric nodded. "I always stay here when you go, just in case something comes up, which it usually does…" he finished with a chuckle and a small roll of his eyes.

The Ambassador sighed. "I really need to not rely on you so much… What's the rest of the staff for, no?"

"I'll admit, Sir, sometimes I wonder the same thing!" Eric laughed before quickly stopping to clarify his remark. "Not that I'm complaining!"

"I know you're not."

"I won't lie and say my job is easy," he shook his head. "But I appreciate the challenges it can present me with," he switched over to nodding.

"Do you now..?"

Eric continued to nod. "My hope is that they'll help me prepare to have your job one day, Sir. Well, not yours specifically, but…"

"So you want to be an ambassador?"

"Yes, Sir."

"The Earth Ambassador to Mars..?" The man currently holding the position pressed.

Eric paused to think a moment before replying. "I think one day I'll be suited for the position thanks to you and all my experience, but for now and the foreseeable future, the position's held by someone quite competent and best able to perform it."

"I appreciate the kind words, Eric," the Ambassador smiled at him. "I feel as though I don't deserve them."

"Of course you do, Sir!"

"OK… Maybe they are slightly warranted?" He relented with a self-deprecating chuckle. "But what are also warranted are your complaints, none of which I've heard but feel I should!"

"Sir?" Eric asked in confusion.

"Despite constantly working you to what anyone else would consider the bone, you never complain!" The older man shook his head. "I've come to the late realization that I've been taking advantage of that, and that it's high time I reward you for your service and dedication."

This time, his admittedly all-too important Top Aide shook his head as he replied, "I don't need a reward, Sir."

He really didn't. Eric was gaining incredible experience doing what he did and he made amazing money. He hardly had time to spend any of it, but that was beside the point… His ultimate goal of one day becoming an ambassador himself came at a price he didn't mind paying, so long as he didn't stop and consider everything else he was missing out on in the meantime…

"But you deserve one," the Ambassador continued with a kind and gentle (and undeniably handsome) smile. "But before you go and get too excited, allow me to explain," he said as he pushed his plate away from him. "Honestly, it's not much, but it's all I could come up with as soon as I realized I've been overlooking your personal needs for so long."

"With all due respect, Sir… If I thought that was the case, I would've said something."

He chuckled. "I know you can be a good liar when you need to be, Eric, but you're not that good."

"But I'm not…"

The Ambassador held up his right hand to stop him. "I'm due to travel to Mars tomorrow to meet with, um…" he blanked, waving his hand for help.

"The Earth relief troops stationed there," Eric promptly offered. "To thank them, and also to meet with the Martian Ambassador."

"Yes, thank you," the Ambassador nodded. "And it's not that I don't want to go, it's that other matters have come up that I need to attend to here, which brings me to you… Despite the fundamental role you play in our relationship with the Martians, you've never been there."

"No, I haven't. I've wanted to, but I've…"

"Always been doing your job, which is actually my bidding," Eric was interrupted. "For that and more, you deserve to go and see firsthand all the good you've helped accomplish over the past two years. Therefore, my newest directive is that you attend my obligations on Mars in my place."

"Again, Sir… With all due respect, I'm not sure that would be so…"

"You deserve to go and see for yourself what you've helped do… Visit with and thank our troops, take in that despite everything they've been through, famous Martian hospitality I always come back and tell you about."

"But…"

"But nothing. You deserve it."

Once again, Eric shook his head. "Thank you, Sir, for the compliments and consideration, but there's no way I could go."

"Why not?"

"Well for starters, because there are so many other things I planned on taking care of while you took the trip."

"Well those are all my and the rest of the staff's concern now. You're going to Mars."

"You're to leave tomorrow," Eric reminded aloud. "Does that mean…"

The Ambassador nodded. "That now you will. My ship's being prepared as we speak."

"Yes, of course, but…"

"I know you're well aware that it takes a week to get to Mars, but what you're not aware of is that this coming one is going to be the best week of your life… The UP has spared no expense on the retrofit of my ship," he shook his head firmly. "It's just finished being modified and upgraded for added comfort."

"It has?" Eric asked, eyes slightly widening as he wondered how and why he hadn't known about this till now?

"It has," the handsome Ambassador confirmed with an almost devilish smirk. "And now you get to be the first to experience all the improvements."

"But, Sir!" His Top Aide started then stopped himself, suddenly very excited and almost instantly forgetting about all his recent hesitations. "Thank you, Sir!" He finished instead.

"You're quite welcome, but again… Don't get too excited… I hate to have to tell you, but there'll be some work for you to do during the journey."

"Ambassador…" Eric laughed. "You probably know me better than anyone does, so you should know that's how I'd prefer it! Honestly, I wouldn't know what to do with an entire week of downtime?!"

"No, you probably wouldn't…" the older man chuckled back.

"So what will I need to do?"

"Not too much," the Ambassador shook his head. "But there's some… special cargo being sent along which will need to periodically be checked on during the journey."

"Sure," Eric nodded. "What do I…"

"I can't say for sure, but I've been told it's easy work. Easy enough, that they expected me to be able to do it all by myself!" The Ambassador chuckled again.

"Well then no offense, Sir, but I'm certain I'll manage!" His Top Aide winked, surprised with himself he'd dared to, and having to think long and hard about the last time he had, as such an action had long since become quite out of character for him.

The older man smiled. "Rali will take great care of you. He always does me."

"Oh, wow!" Eric returned the smile. "I'm finally going to get to meet the infamous Rali!"

Rali was the name of the proprietary AI that powered most of the functions aboard the Ambassador's ship. His Top Aide had interacted with "him" many times, but never before in person, not that that was even possible…

"And actually, in the flesh, or so to speak…"

"Oh..?"

"One of the retrofits the ship received was for Rali to be physically incorporated into it as a droid."

Once more, Eric was surprised this was the first he was hearing about something, especially something as important as this most recent piece of information, but once again, his newfound excitement got the best of him before he could give it much other thought. "Oh, wow! That's exciting!"

"That it is!" The Ambassador agreed. "While I played a big role in designing the new physical Rali, as well as updating his abilities, even I haven't had the chance to see the end results yet, so while it means asking more of you again, I expect a full report!"

"Of course!" Eric enthusiastically agreed.

"All that being said…" the older man once more raised his hand in a cautionary manner. "Since this is going to be physical Rali's first trip, there's going to be certain tasks you're going to be asked to perform manually."

"OK…"

"Regardless! If I can make it to Mars in one piece, then certainly you can too!"

"Thank you, Sir. I'm already looking forward to it."

"Don't thank me yet…" the Ambassador smirked again. "Though we've put the new and improved Rali through the ringer in the lab, you know how it can sometimes be with new technology…"

"Yes, of course," Eric confirmed.

"But do try and think of your time aboard as a vacation as much as you can," the Ambassador said as he pushed his chair back and stood, Eric quickly doing the same.

"Thank you, Sir. I will."

"Said vacation stars now. Enjoy it. Make the absolute most of it because despite the best efforts I'm going to try and put forth to not rely on you as much as I have…" he paused to sigh. "It might be some time before you get to take your next…"

"I've waited this long for my first, so…"

"Thank you for your understanding, Eric."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Ship departs at 0700."

******

The following morning, after an evening spent packing and tidying up loose ends as best he could for the Ambassador, Eric reported to the shuttle that would take him up to the ship orbiting Earth. As the shuttle approached and it came into view, the Ambassador's Top Aide was surprised by its immense size, having never seen it up close, and had to remind himself that it was also used to take supplies to and from the Red Planet, but mostly to as of the last two years…

Within ten minutes of the shuttle docking, Eric bonded the ship and was shown to his quarters by an ensign. The ensign was wearing a mask, but plenty of people and Martians did given the circumstances, so Eric didn't give it much thought, nor did he the fact that he saw no one else aboard… While primarily a cargo vessel, and therefore nothing much to look at on the outside, inside, the "living areas" of the Ambassador's ship were surprisingly large and lavish…

It turned out that Eric's quarters were actually those of the Ambassador's, who'd yet to see any of their upgrades and improvements. From what he initially and rather quickly saw of just the bedroom, it was huge and luxurious, when such things were almost unheard of when it came to ships capable of long-haul Space flights. While Eric was impressed, the masked ensign didn't seem to be, quickly hurrying them along on their tour as they waited for the cargo to be loaded.

Given its scope and evident complexity, Eric knew he hadn't come close to seeing all of the ship by the time his tour of it came to an end… It did so in the surprisingly small and cramped bridge, where the ensign made quick work of showing him how to plot in the course for Mars, something that for some reason, still needed to manually be done each trip.

Within an Earth hour, the cargo was all loaded and Eric, the ship, and the rest of its contents were ready to disembark. Shortly after the countdown to launch began, after changing into the jumpsuit he'd been provided, Eric took his seat at the helm and buckled up with the ensign's help as he wished him, "Godspeed and good luck," with a salute before making his masked way back to the shuttle. When the countdown ended, after hitting the correct sequence of buttons Eric had recently been taught, his launch out of Earth's orbit began, and he was on his way out into the deep, darkness of Space.

All nine of the ship's engines burned with surprising ferocity till they shot it past the moon. As he passed it, Eric looked out the window over his left shoulder, catching the planet he'd never left till then already in the distance, the blue and green sphere growing smaller and smaller by the second. Half an hour after passing the moon, all the engines abruptly cut off, but the ensign had told Eric to expect that…

By then, the ship had built up enough momentum to take it the rest of the way to Mars without additional thrust. Now, Eric could sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride, at least until Rali (whom he'd yet to "meet," ) revealed "himself," and put him to any necessary work.

Speaking of the AI/new drone, an impressively human-like and oddly familiar voice suddenly spoke to him out of nowhere yet everywhere…

"Good morning, Eric. Welcome to Space. I am Rali."

"Morning, Rali!" The human replied with a grin as he looked around the bridge, seeing nothing he hadn't already. "I was wondering when I was going to meet you? Still kinda am…"

"I will reveal my new, physical presence to you soon" the AI promised. "Currently, I am busy performing inventory control and making sure we're on the course you set. In the meantime, you are now free to move about the ship."

"Thank you," Eric replied as he undid his two seat belts and stood.

"Do you have any questions for me?"

"I guess I should, shouldn't I..?" He chuckled. "Um… Is there anything I need to do now?"

"Yes," Rali responded. "You need to inspect the cargo and make sure both containment and proper storage protocols were maintained during launch."

"OK. How do…"

"Please follow the illuminated pathway to the cargo bay," the AI instructed. "Further instruction will be provided upon arrival."

"Sir, yes, Sir…" Eric replied, finding it somewhat amusing he was being (gently) bossed around by a robot.

So-called "Artificial Intelligence" now played a big role in society but due to his position, the Top Aide to the Earth Ambassador to Mars still more frequently dealt directly with either aliens or other humans. But on the subject of other humans and being bossed around, as he replayed Rali's most recent directive in his head, Eric realized his voice sounded a lot like the Ambassador's… While somewhat surprising, the Ambassador himself had said he'd helped redesign the AI, or at least its yet to be revealed physical representation, so perhaps he'd based his artificial traveling assistant's voice on his own?

Unusual? A bit, but the Ambassador was an important and therefore rather cocky man, so his doing so wouldn't be entirely out of line.

As Eric turned to exit the cramped bridge, he once again had to turn to the side to fit his broad shoulders through the narrow doorway one at a time. Once beyond it, the hall widened significantly. It was then Eric noticed the size discrepancy along with the fact that the hall was lined on both sides with handrails that were slightly higher than waist level… He found this somewhat strange till he realized the rails had likely been positioned to better accommodate Martians, who were generally several inches taller than their human counterparts, and could live to be 175 years of age. Along with cargo, the Ambassador's ship was often used to transport other diplomats to and from the Red Planet, so this too made sense.

Thanks to the abbreviated tour given to him by the ensign, Eric had yet to familiarize himself with the majority of the ship, so he followed the lighted path Rali laid out for him till he reached the cargo bay. To the left of its large sliding doors, a small compartment opened and a gas mask was produced by a robotic arm.

"Please place the mask on your face, ensuring it securely covers both your nose and mouth," Rali requested.

"Why?"

"Because certain items being transported require the constant emission of various gasses that can be detrimental to humans," the almost Ambassador's voice explained rather matter of factly.

Not that he hadn't already, but now, Eric really wondered what was being taken along to Mars with him? He wasn't keen now knowing that whatever it was, required the presence of gasses that could harm him, and was about to ask for more information, but before he could, Rali continued.

"Once your mask has been secured, please enter your access code."

When Eric was sure the mask had sealed over his nose and mouth, he entered the code that'd been given to him on the pad next to the pressurized doors of the cargo bay, then they slowly hissed open. Unlike what he'd so far seen of the rest of the ship, the bay was dark, dimly lit and cold… The walls were unfinished and full of rivets, making the space all the more creepy, and Eric work as quick as he could to perform the checks the ensign told him he'd need to perform, such as checking the food and medical rations and various other equipment, before continuing onto the back of the large bay to check on the last item.

The Ambassador's Top Aide had no idea what Item #558D was, but it was actually not a single item, rather a group of them… 25 large, opaque cylinders, standing some 7' tall by 10' wide to be precise. They were situated on opposite sides of the bay in rows of 12, the 25th cylinder, which was wider than the other by a few feet, situated against the back wall between them. Due to the cloudy gas filling the bay and the cylinders being opaque, Eric couldn't see what they contained aside from some slight, faintly moving shadows.

"What are these things, Rali, and what's in them?" He asked, his curious question muffled and made to sound nasally by his mask.

"My apologies, Eric, but that information is classified above your designated clearance level," the AI replied. "Now please check the monitoring unit on each cylinder and confirm each is showing green."

Eager to complete his duties so he could get out of there, the human checked each of the monitoring units located on the right side of each container. The light on each, except for the largest, shined green, indicating they were functioning properly. As soon as he was certain, Eric informed Rali of his findings.

"The last container is not presently in use, so it is functioning properly," the AI replied. "With all checks complete, you may now exit the bay. Please keep your mask in place until instructed to do otherwise."

Once again, Eric didn't need to be told twice. He left the bay as quickly as he could, sighing in relief as its doors hissed open upon his approach. As he waited for them to close behind him, he wondered what the hell he was bringing along to Mars with him..? A moment after the doors closed, he felt a rush of air blow over him before Rali gave him the all clear.

"You may now remove your mask. Once you've done so, please place it back in the receptacle."

Eric did as instructed, placing the mask in the robotic hand sticking out from the opening from which it'd come. As the wall closed behind it, he took in several deep, appreciative breaths of (artificially) fresh air before asking Rali, "So what now?"

"Now, you need to decontaminate."

"Decontaminate..?"

"Solely as a precaution. The process will take place in your bathroom, where I have a bath running."

Eric frowned. "If it's necessary for me to… decontaminate, shouldn't I take some sort of shower?"

He was surprised when Rali let out a chuckle before responding. "Believe it or not, showering in Space is still not possible… As such, to clean, or in this case, decontaminate, you must bathe."

Less worried than he probably should've been, the sole human aboard the ship shrugged as he rolled the path Rali had laid before him in light. "I haven't taken a bath in years…"

"Then I'm sure you'll enjoy this one. Just relax. Remember… the Ambassador wants you to enjoy this trip as much as possible, as do I."

"Well thank you…"

"Yes, of course," Rali replied as Eric reached his quarters and the doors automatically opened before him. "Please leave your clothes here," he said as he illuminated the far corner of the room. "I'll have them taken care of."

"Thank you," Eric said again as he pulled off the coveralls he'd been given to wear for the launch. After stepping out of them and tossing them into the indicated corner, he did the same with his underwear, leaving him naked.

The very moment his underwear hit the floor, the door to the bathroom opened and Rali announced, "Your bath is ready. Please do enjoy."

"I'll try," the human said as he stepped into the bathroom. "But is there anything special I need to do to decontaminate?"

"No. Simply bathe as you normally would," the AI replied. "The water and I will take care of the rest."

"Thank you, Rali," Eric said, feeling as if he were saying so a lot, maybe because he wasn't actually talking to anyone, just every and anywhere.

Like the rest of the Ambassador's onboard living quarters, upon its first reveal, his bathroom was surprisingly spacious, luxurious and welcoming. Rali had adjusted the temperature within so that it was slightly warmer than the rest of the ship, making Eric feel almost like he was home. He of course wasn't though… He was shooting through Space on a ship, in which, space itself was usually at a premium (as indicated by the bridge,) so it was quite unexpected but appreciated that everything in "his" quarters seemed not only a bit bigger than normal, but also more spaced out.

The Ambassador, or whoever had designed the space for him, had obviously spared no expense. The entire bathroom seemed to have been carved from a single piece of red Martian marble, which was known throughout the galaxy for its high cost. At the back of the room, an absolutely massive tub rose seamlessly from the floor. The interior of it was illuminated, making the water inside it dazzle a brilliant blue against the marble's deep red, naturally drawing Eric to the beautiful sight.

As he approached, he caught his reflection in the mirror, which wasn't too difficult as the mirror ran the entire right wall floor to ceiling. Despite the sudden and oddly strong desire to get into the tub (not to mention the want/need to decontaminate) Eric turned to face his reflection and placed his hands on his trim hips. He was happy with what he saw.

"I look good," he said aloud as he smirked at himself.

He really did. All his time and effort at the gym had really paid off. His smile grew as he noted how flat and toned his midsection was. It was easy for him to count each and every one of his eight visible abs. Even though he wasn't flexing them at the moment, Eric's arms and chest bulged as he admired himself. The lighting in the bathroom perfectly highlighted and captured his naked musculature, including that of his long, thick legs. Eric was a sexy young man and he knew it, making it all the more a shame that he rarely ever had the time to let anyone else see what he now was (and/or do more.)

After a few more seconds of self-admiration, the Ambassador's Top Aide continued across the bathroom to the tub. As he stepped into the perfectly heated water, he noticed something strange: it was thicker than he expected.

"Hey, Rali..?"

The AI responded instantly, already knowing the inquiry Eric had yet to even ask. "The water onboard has been specially treated to increase its density. While the ship has gravity boosters to prevent you from floating around, water must be further modified."

"Which is why a shower isn't possible," Eric realized aloud.

"Correct."

Satisfied with his answer (having actually gotten one this time,) he lowered himself the rest of the way into the surprisingly deep tub. The thick water felt good but any difference became barely noticeable once he was shoulders deep in it and he leaned back, closing his eyes and sighing as he did. It felt good. The only thing Eric could think of that would've made the first bath he'd taken in years any better would've been…

Bubbles. The moment he thought this, unseen jets turned on and the heated water started to churn and foam at just the perfect, relaxing rate. Eric sighed again and smiled.

"It's like you're reading my mind, Rali."

Not that he could say he was very surprised, but the Ambassador had been right: he needed this… A week long journey in plush luxury, while still getting paid. Eric did deserve it.

He enjoyed the warmth and the bubbles, his body tingling from them in a wonderful way, or so he thought… It wasn't long before Eric ended up drifting off, but it also wasn't long before Rali woke him, turning off the jets as he did.

"My apologies for the intrusion, Eric, but I just received a message for you."

In the short amount of time he'd been on his journey, Eric had already gotten used to not being interrupted and/or having to work all the time, something he previously never would've imagined possible. He let out an annoyed frown as he opened his eyes, unfortunately bringing himself back from the edge of utter bliss and relaxation.

"This better be good…" he grumbled as he sat up some, hearing a faint whirring noise coming from above as he did.

Eric raised his gaze and saw a video monitor descending from the ceiling. As the monitor illuminated and a recorded message from the Ambassador began to play, Eric once again marveled at the extremes the man had gone to refitting the ship.

"Hello, Eric," the older man smiled at him. "It's my understanding you're watching this message in the nice, new tub I had specially installed for you, which I hope meets your approval as it was quite expensive," he winked. "Now that you've checked the cargo and are in the process of decontaminating, it's time to start enjoying yourself, if you haven't started already," he winked again. "But before I lose you, I must go over a few more details regarding your trip."

Eric's handsome face registered confusion, wondering how and why the Ambassador knew exactly what he'd done and was currently doing? Rali, of course, he quickly realized. The AI was keeping track of and reporting on his doings. Slightly unsettling yes, but not entirely unexpected…

But that didn't answer the question as to why the Ambassador, a man so busy he'd forgotten to properly care for his Top Aide till now, was suddenly so interested in his doings while he was supposed to be relaxing and enjoying himself? Working a little, yes, but while being rewarded and ideally, left alone… And had he said the expensive tub Eric was now in had been installed just for him? Why? And what other details were there to go over regarding the trip? Everything had seemed (relatively) straight forward till now…

At some point, the message had paused, as if Rali or the Ambassador had known Eric would be thinking and taking all he'd just heard in, undoubtedly questioning it. Now, it continued.

"You've gone nothing but continually impress me with your skills and dedication during our time together. Please don't think I've missed the fact you've never once taken a sick day, which is another true testament to your dedication, health, and most impressive!" The Ambassador smiled and nodded. "It's also one of the reasons you were selected for this mission."

It went without saying that all of a sudden, Eric was feeling very curious and increasingly alarmed… Good as it was, why would his health suddenly be taken into consideration? Why was the trip now being referred to as a "mission," and why had he been specifically selected for it?

It's my pleasure to inform you that as a personal gesture of additional good-will towards our Martian friends, I selected you to represent our office in an experimental program being run by the United Planets… The program is called Recovery."

Recovery. The word hit Eric like a ton of bricks, as did the mention of it being experimental. He still didn't know what any of this meant, nor why the Ambassador had personally selected him to take part in it, but he knew he didn't like it.

"Please, don't be worried or concerned… I've been told you'll find the whole experience quite enjoyable," the Ambassador went on. "But since you're so special and important to me, I wanted to do all I could to make sure that's the case, hence the expensive retrofit of the ship, Rali's reprogramming and his new physical representation, who you'll soon have the pleasure of meeting in the so-called flesh. Physical and AI Rali, which really, are one in the same, will assist you as the experiment progresses. He'll help you as much as you're going to be helping the Martians."

All this new, unexpected information meant everything and nothing to Eric. He understood everything the Ambassador had said and nothing at the same time as he didn't understand how it applied to him?

"In regards to you, Recovery went into effect as soon as you stepped foot on my ship… By simply breathing in the air aboard, the necessary changes started to begin."

Not that they hadn't already, but now, things were really starting to sound bad… With most of his body still submerged, Eric looked down at himself through the thick, now no longer churning water, and wondered what was apparently already happening to him? So far, he couldn't tell any difference, at least not visibly…

The Ambassador's handsome, smiling image continued. "I've been told that right now, you're experiencing a pleasurable tingling sensation all over your body, which yes, for the time being, anyway, should still look the same," he said with 100% accuracy. "All this coincides with the second stage of your transition."

"Second stage of my transition?!" Eric repeated aloud, not at all happy to learn he'd already missed the first, not that he'd even known till just now that he was undergoing ANY sort of transition…

"Rest assured, everyone involved took great strides to ensure we knew what we were doing before taking our important experiment live… Had we not, I never would've selected you to participate in this important and fruitful endeavor."

The Ambassador's "reassurance" did nothing to make his Top Aide feel any better. "My only regret…" the handsome, older man continued, "Is that you'll no longer be of service to me, at least not in the same regard," he shook his head on screen. "All the changes you'll undergo will take some getting used to, certainly more so for you than me, at least for a little longer…" the Ambassador chuckled. "But rather than going along with the old saying, all good things must come to an end, in our case, I'm choosing to think of it as the start of something different, yes, but also good, so not all is lost," he shook his head. "Far from it, in fact!"

Needless to say, Eric did not feel the same… Not anywhere close.

"While you've been trying to take in this message and all the information it contains, billions of nanites have entered your body through the water in which you lay," the Ambassador explained. "As you listen, they are in the process of rewriting your DNA and changing your body's cellular structure and functions in order to better suit our needs."

Not that he hadn't been already, but now Eric really started to panic. On shaking legs, he stood, frantically looking down at his body as thick water dripped from it.

Rewriting his cellular structure and their functions to better suit the Ambassador and whoever else's needs?! Why, and to what end?! The message continued to play, but Eric was now understandably too upset, concerned and panicked to properly listen to it.

"Rali!!!" He shouted. "What the hell's happening to me?! What're they doing?!"

"Sit back down, Eric, and be quiet!" The AI replied with an unexpected (but now, was it really though?) hint of impatience.

Surprised by Rali's slight outburst, Eric did as he was told and slowly sat back down. Once he had, the message rewound several seconds and then started playing again.

"If you haven't realized already, the scientists in charge of this grand experiment, programmed the nanites to make your transition enjoyable… By the time you reach Mars, you'll be fully prepared to carry out this most important mission," the Ambassador informed, before adding with a chuckle, "Even if you won't remember doing so… So now, all you have to do till you arrive on the Red Planet is sit back, relax, and go along with everything, and let Rali take care of the rest," he nodded. "Thank you, Eric, for your cooperation, knowing and willing or otherwise… Enjoy the rest of your trip, and I look forward to seeing you soon!"

At least the Ambassador had the courtesy to sign off with a wave, but Eric barely registered it as he sat there in the tub, shoulders slumped in defeat, mind a blur. Rali was speaking but he wasn't listening, just staring down at the bubbles as they surrounded him again, wondering as they did, what exactly they were doing to him?

He knew there was nothing he could do to stop anything. He was stuck on a ship in the middle of Space, all alone with Rali and whatever they were transporting along with them, for the next several days. So much for a well-deserved break! Now, Eric was part of an experiment he hadn't agreed to take part in and almost certainly wouldn't have had he been given the choice! Again, this was not good.

Eric now understood that Rali wasn't just his minder, but his keeper. After moping and worrying about everything for some time, feeling for obvious reasons like he needed and deserved some (more) answers, he shouted out question after question about Recovery and how it pertained to him to the AI. Rali refused to answer anything he was asked, other than to say that what the Ambassador hadn't told Eric remained above his clearance level. Eric only stopped when the bubbles suddenly did and the bath started to rapidly drain.

A robotic arm popped out from the closest wall, its clawed hand holding out a towel, which the human promptly snatched and wrapped around his waist as soon as it was above water. All his screaming, worrying, and trying to process what little he'd been told left Eric physically and mentally exhausted, so he headed for the bed, still dripping with thick water as he collapsed atop the sheets, tired, scared, upset and confused.

He was just about to drift off when with a soft chime, another arm popped from the nearby wall, this one holding a meal tray. The last thing Eric mentally wanted to do was eat, but physically, he suddenly found himself to be quite hungry… What he ate didn't even register other than the fact it tasted good and that as soon as he finished all of it, he was even more exhausted than he'd already been, so he quickly fell asleep soon after laying back down.

******

Considering the troublesome (to say the very least) circumstances, Eric slept surprisingly well. Not only that, but come the morning, he somehow wasn't so worried by the previous day's events, especially as he still saw no physical changes to himself as he dressed. Maybe it had all been a weird, bad dream..? Maybe he was having some sort of bad reaction to being in Space..?

It hadn't been, and he wasn't (aside from being forced to take part in some unknown experiment,) but for the increasingly limited time Eric had left as "himself" (which he didn't know was the case,) he went with that. Not only did it make things easier, quite honestly, it was easier to believe than the alternative…

To say he'd "dressed" was a bit of a stretch… After shedding the towel he'd fallen asleep with still around his waist, Eric only bothered putting on a pair of briefs before heading to the galley for breakfast. He knew he could've asked Rali to serve him in bed, but he was one of those people who didn't like eating where they lay, making it surprising and out of character that he'd done so the night before. Or had he dreamed that?

Eric had just seated himself at the head of the oddly large table and was about to give Rali his order when the AI spoke to him for the first time since the day before.

"Good morning, Eric," he greeted the Ambassador's Top Aide as several slows opened in the walls off to either side, a robotic arm or two popping from each, each of them quickly setting to work. "I trust you slept well?"

"Surprisingly…" Eric grunted back as he watched his place being set. "So when am I going to meet you?"

"Are you referring to my new physical representation?"

"Yes," he confirmed as he watched several of the arms dart back into the wall and then shoot back out, each holding a dish, which they placed on the table before repeating the process.

It wasn't long before the long, large table was almost entirely covered with Eric's favorite dishes, breakfast or otherwise… How did Rali know what those were, but more importantly: how and why the hell was he being served them all at once?!

"Soon enough. Now please, enjoy your breakfast," Rali replied. "I'd be happy to serve you, or you can…"

"I'll serve myself, thank you," Eric cut him off as he stood and grabbed his plate.

He hadn't even made it a third of the way around the table before he filled his plate, forcing him to return to his seat. While Eric was surprised by how hungry he suddenly felt, he didn't wonder why? If he stopped and thought about it, he would've realized he couldn't, but he didn't. As soon as he sat back down, he began chowing down. As he stuffed his face, more of Rali's robotic arms produced glasses of water and various juices without being asked to.

Also without being asked, the arms served Eric what he'd yet to try once there was room on his plate. In total, they refilled it as much as he first had two more times. When Eric finished his third plate and fourth glass of juice, Rali offered no more and suggested he go to the lounge, where he could digest while watching movies.

Eric spent the rest of the morning watching film after film, alternately trying to figure out if he'd dreamed all he'd been told and trying to forget all about it if he hadn't. Rali remained quiet and still didn't reveal his physical form yet, both of which puzzled Eric before he eventually drifted off into a late morning nap.

He slept for a few hours, during which he had dreams he'd soon forget. When he woke, he yawned and stretched. As he did, Eric felt and heard his stomach grumble and subconsciously reached down to rub it. The moment his hand came in contact with his midsection, it froze. Something was not right…

The usually taut and toned section of his body was now bulging out from the rest of it at a significant degree. Quickly lowering his gaze from the ceiling down to it, Eric saw the big, round belly his hand was feeling. It was firm to the touch and looked as though he were some six months into a rather "healthy" pregnancy… Thanks to his new load, he awkwardly scrambled to his feet, bringing his other hand down to that side of his belly as he did.

"Rali!!!" He shouted, his breathing and heart rate both quickly increasing.

"Yes, Eric?" The AI replied, calm as ever.

"What's happening to me?!" He cried out as his hands couldn't help but explore his new, bulbous midsection, groping, rubbing and poking at it.

"You shouldn't be in any pain or discomfort… Are you?"

Eric paused to consider the question for a moment before replying, "No… Not any pain or discomfort, but…"

"Wonderful. Then you just need to take in a slow, deep breath," Rali instructed.

Against his (unknowingly waning) better judgment, the human did as he was told. As soon as he did, a rush of calmness spread over him and he let out a contented sigh.

"There…" Rali continued in a pleasing and reassuring tone. "Now it's time for lunch."

As he watched a table suddenly rise from the floor in front of the chair he'd been sitting in all morning, Eric belatedly worried about all the food he'd consumed earlier… He'd eaten more than he ever had at once, so he couldn't possibly eat any more again so soon, yet the more he thought about it, the more he had to admit he was hungry…

More arms descended from the ceiling, setting the table with as many of his favorite dishes (if not more) as they had back in the galley. As soon as all the wonderful, tempting aromas hit Eric's nose, he instinctively sat back down and once again, began wolfing down his second, absolutely massive meal of the day without another thought or concern.

He ate like he was starving, like he'd been deprived of food for a very long time, when he'd last eaten more than he ever had in a day (let alone a meal) only hours before. With Rali's assistance, Eric consumed epic portions, quickly clearing the table. Feeling a food coma quickly coming on, the human stood and cradled his belly as he tottered back to his bedroom for another nap.

As he slowly made his way, Eric realized again (but now, just barely) how out of character all this eating was. Normally, he was extremely conscious about what he ate but now, he couldn't stop himself from eating every and anything Rali put in front of him. Not all that deep down, Eric knew something wasn't right, but was unable or willing to do anything about it. At least for whatever reason, if this wasn't all some weird fever dream, he wasn't so worried anymore…

Two hours later, the first thing Eric noticed when he woke was that his belly had ballooned even more over the course of his nap. His now formerly trim waist and midsection had swelled to the point of a man who was nine months pregnant! Carefully, he hoisted himself out of bed and headed for the bathroom at a waddle. He didn't necessarily want to, but felt he needed to see his newly swollen body.

He removed his underwear and stood naked in front of the mirror. As he slowly turned from his left to his right side, Eric took in his reflection in a combination of shock, horror and awe, tentatively touching his belly some more as he did. It was incredibly firm to the touch yet somehow still felt natural, even though it was more than fair to say there was nothing natural about it. There couldn't be.

Eric looked undeniably pregnant, but how could he be? Men had been getting pregnant for centuries by then, but not at this pace! Excluding that rather troublesome technicality, because of how devoted he was (or had been) to his job and subsequently busy schedule, Eric couldn't even remember the last time he'd had sex, so had he immaculately conceived? Was he even pregnant?!

Big as he'd quickly gotten, if he somehow was, by the looks of it, he should've felt movement by now..? Waves of differing emotions surged through him. Eric was scared, nervous, bewildered, and felt like crying. Knowing now that Rali was recording him to show the Ambassador, he managed to fight back the tears. He didn't want to give the man he'd so fully and faithfully served all this time any additional satisfaction. He didn't deserve it, just as his Top Aide didn't deserve to be treated like this after everything he'd done for him.

Just barely managing to keep it together, Eric took in a deep breath and asked Rali to run him a bath. Once it was ready, he carefully eased into it, still getting used to maneuvering around his new bulk. As he lay there in the thick water, his hands hardly left his new protrusion as he wondered to himself what to do next?

What could he do? Probably nothing, other than just keep going along with everything now… What all that was going to entail, he didn't like to consider.

After some time, Rali broke the silence. "How are you feeling, Eric?" He asked.

"How the hell do you think I'm feeling?!" He snapped in response, irritated to hear another reminder of the Ambassador. "And no, I'm not in any pain or discomfort, so get lost!"

Not taking the hint, the AI continued. "I'm glad to hear but not surprised you're not experiencing any pain or discomfort."

"I said, get lost!"

"A little hard to do when I'm everywhere and nowhere, wouldn't you say?"

Eric groaned but otherwise didn't reply. Rali went on.

"Dinner will be ready in two hours."

Eric frowned. He didn't want to eat again. He knew he didn't need to, not now or in two hours and yet somehow, he was hungry again. Very hungry.

"I want it in an hour."

"As you wish."

"Thank you," he still somehow had the decency to reply.

"One more thing…"

"Ugh!" He groaned again. "What?"

"If you'd like, I can join you for dinner."

"You eat?"

The AI chuckled. "No, Eric, I do not eat. But since humans often socialize over meals, I deduced that introducing my physical presence to you over your next one would be appropriate if you think you'd enjoy the company?"

"What I'd enjoy most right now is having never come on this mission!" Eric retorted with a huff. "But since that unfortunately isn't possible, and you're the only company available, I guess I'll see you in an hour."

"Very well. I'm looking forward to it."

"I'm sure you are."

"One last question…"

"What?"

"Do you plan on dressing this evening, or will you be dining in your undergarments?"

"Does it matter?"

"I'd like to dress appropriately."

"Well seeing as everything I brought along isn't going to fit anymore…"

"I can provide you with bigger options if you'd like?" Rali offered.

"Yes, I would."

"They'll be waiting for you in the bedroom. I'll see you in…" the AI paused for a moment. "Fifty-eight minutes."

"Fifty-eight minutes…" Eric repeated in a mutter. "I can't fucking wait…" he sighed as he leaned back and closed his eyes, determined to try and enjoy his tingly bath till it was time to eat and meet Rali "in the flesh."